The Correlation between Plasma ICAM-1 Levels and Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Anthropometric Indexes in Middle Age Subjects

Inter cellular adhesion molecule -1 (ICAM-1) is an important new factor which can predict cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between plasma concentrations of inter cellular adhesion molecule–1 (ICAM-1) and cardiorespiratory fitness and anthropometric indices as noninvasive methods. From all among the male and female university personnel, 127 (72 men and 55 women) healthy and nonsmoker subjects (age: 36.62±5.7 years, VO2max:27.32±6.72 ml/kg.min) were selected using a medical questionnaire. Anticubital veinblood samples were taken in fasting status at rest. VO2max was then evaluated on a treadmill with gas analyzer and measurement of anthropometric factors (BMI, WHR and PBF) were measured in all the subjects in the laboratory. Serum ICAM-1 were measured by ELISA method. In women, controlling for their menstrual cycle, blood sampling was taken in follicular phase (3-8 days after onset of their menstrual period) and VO2max test was performed in 3-9 days (i.e., in the luteal phase). Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation and multinomial regression. The results showed that there were no significant correlations between ICAM-1 and VO2max, BMI, or PBF (P>0.05), wheares there was a signicant positive correlation between WHR and ICAM-1 in middle aged individuals (P=0.01). In addition, because of a strong correlation observed between VO2max and WHR (P=0.00), this factor could be used with WHR for more complete models in predicting the plasma concentration of ICAM-1. Findings showed that visceral fat tissue, compared to other factors, is more effective in predicting ICAM-1 concentrations.